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Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana: The Movie is a 2009 American musical comedy-drama film based on the Disney Channel television series, Hannah Montana. It is the second theatrical film based on a Disney Channel Original Series after The Lizzie McGuire Movie. The film was directed by Peter Chelsom with screenplay penned by Daniel Berendsen. The film was produced by David Blocker, Billy Ray Cyrus, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Steven Peterman and Michael Poryes. The film stars series regulars Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Mitchel Musso, and Moisés Arias, as well as Lucas Till, Vanessa Williams, Margo Martindale, and Melora Hardin. The film tells of how Hannah Montana's popularity begins to take over Miley Stewart's life. Her father forces her to take a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters most in her life. Filming began in April 2008, much of it occurring in Columbia, Tennessee, and Los Angeles, California, and was completed in July 2008. The film was released theatrically by Walt Disney Pictures on April 10, 2009 in the United States and Canada. As the teen sitcom originated on Disney Channel, the network premiered a teaser trailer of the film during their shows. The film achieved commercial success, grossing $155 million in worldwide box office revenue, and receiving mixed to positive critical response. Plot Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) is struggling with her alter-ego and her popularity as Hannah Montana and keeping her double-life a secret from the media, but Oswald Granger (Peter Gunn), a sneaky undercover journalist for celeb magazine BonChic, becomes suspicious and vows to uncover her secret for his boss Lucinda (Jane Parr). Later, Miley (as Hannah) ends up in a fight with Tyra Banks over a pair of shoes that she wanted to buy for Lilly (Emily Osment) as a birthday present. When Oswald secretly follows her limo to the party, Miley is forced to attend as Hannah instead of herself, resulting in the guests turning their attention to her instead of Lilly, especially when Hannah is accompanied by Steve Rushton and Days Difference in her performance of "Let's Get Crazy". Oliver Oken (Mitchel Musso) and Rico Suave (Moises Arias) try to stop Lilly from leaving, but the party is ruined by Rico's exploding "Happy Birthday Lilly" cake. Upset at Miley, Lilly accidentally tells Oswald that Hannah is from a place called Crowley Corners, Tennessee, not realizing that he is a journalist. Robby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus) is furious over the fight between Hannah Montana and Tyra Banks reported over the newspapers and her general behavior in the past. He tells her that Hannah is going out of control and Miley needs to gain perspective and remember who she truly is. Instead of leaving for the World Music Awards in New York on a private jet, the Stewarts land in Crowley Corners, Tennessee, their hometown, for Miley's grandmother Ruby's (Margo Martindale) birthday. Miley is angry at her father for the switch but Robby points out that this is the life she could've been leading if she was not famous. Despite Miley's protests, Robby decides to spend two weeks in Crowley Corners and ends up falling in love with a woman named Lorelai (Melora Hardin). Miley eventually warms up to her hometown when she rekindles a connection with childhood friend Travis Brody (Lucas Till) after he helps her with riding her old horse, Blue Jeans. Nevertheless, Miley is eager to resume her Hannah duties and becomes chastened after Robby snaps that she seems to want to be Hannah Montana more than she wants to be with her family. Oswald, acting on Lilly's tip, follows Miley to her hometown. Miley takes the opportunity to try to write new songs but when she is ignored by Travis, she develops writers' block. Meanwhile, there is a firm battle developing with the residents of Crowley Corners and Mr. Bradley (Barry Bostwick), a land developer who is planning to build a shopping mall on the site. Miley thinks it's a good idea at first, but is told that some of the town is being destroyed by the development. At a barn party that night, several singers contribute to the charity to save Crowley Corners, singing "Back to Tennessee" by Billy Ray Cyrus (singing as Robby Ray Stewart), and "Crazier" by Taylor Swift (as herself). Miley sings as herself with "Hoedown Throwdown" until Mr. Bradley arrives. When he tells the towns people that they will not stop him, Travis suggests that Miley ask Hannah Montana, whom she claims to know after saving the singer's life in a surfing accident, to make an appearance to support the town, unaware that Hannah is Miley's alter ego. Miley does not know what to do without exposing her secret or letting the town down until Lilly arrives, disguised as Hannah along with the band and crew, offering to help. As the two make up, Miley confides in Lilly that she has been having a rough time adjusting to farm life while trying to be herself and Hannah. Oswald sneaks up on the girls and takes pictures of them, believing Lilly to be Hannah Montana. That is when Lilly realizes she has inadvertently led Oswald to Crowley Corners and apologizes. The town is overjoyed to have Hannah Montana in town but Travis is unimpressed and admits to Hannah that he has had a crush on Miley for some time. As Hannah, Miley urges Travis to ask Miley out and he does. Miley accepts, but she has already been invited to dinner with the mayor by Lorelai. Miley tries to be in two places at once but accidentally lets her guard down and is caught by Travis and a little girl mid-switch. He is understandably confused and rejects Miley, calling her a liar. Miley is devastated and Robby breaks up with Lorelai to tend to his daughter. Miley finishes her song "Butterfly Fly Away", which she and Robby sing together to cheer up. Miley finishes the chicken coop that she and Travis were building. Travis is touched by the gesture and after hearing the Hannah Montana song "Rock Star", he decides to go to the concert to support Miley. Seeing Travis show up, Hannah suddenly stops midsong. She explains to the crowd that she cannot live a lie anymore, especially when she is home. Hannah then removes her blond wig, revealing her secret identity. She then sings her original song "The Climb". Afterwards, the crowd pleads with her to carry on being Hannah, promising not to reveal her secret, but Oswald is in the crowd and takes a picture. His twin daughters beg him not to reveal Miley's secret and he accepts, calling Lucinda to tell her he quits. Miley kisses Travis and then returns to the stage to finish with the song "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home". Miley leaves Tennessee to lead her double life again but with greater perspective and a better attitude. Box office On its opening day, the film grossed $17,436,095, and earned $32,324,487 on its opening weekend, with a $10,367 average from 3,118 theaters, earning the #1 spot. However, the film lost 58% of its gross its second weekend, as it got the #3 spot its second weekend, earning $13,406,217 and $4,300 average and gaining 113 theaters. The film ended up grossing $79,576,189 in the US and Canada, and $75,969,090 overseas, and a total of $155,545,279 worldwide. The film beat the motion-picture animated film Coraline which garnered a total of $124,596,398 in theaters, but came after the film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit which grossed a total of $192,610,372. Critical reception Hannah Montana: The Movie received mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes scored the film a 44% based on 129 reviews, and the average made 5.2 out of 10 average rating. Metacritic gives a score of 47% based on 25 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Entertainment Weekly praised: "The surface lesson of the movie is that celebrity looks easy but is hard. The real lesson, as always, is that since even Miley has to work overtime to be Hannah, every girl in the audience — if she tries hard enough — can become the star she longs to be." Peter Hartlaub from San Francisco Chronicle praised: "Hannah Montana: The Movie isn't an abomination. The characters are wholesome, the plot is easy to follow and the songs all sound the same, so you can really only get one stuck in your head at a time. But even as adults give their blessing for prepubescent moviegoers to see the film, they should be plotting to stay as far away from the theater as possible. If you're no longer old enough to carry a Hannah Montana lunch box, this movie will feel like punishment." Atomic Popcorn stated: "Hip-hop and country. Like the Hannah Montana's theme song says, "You get the best of both worlds." Ten minutes before the movie started, the two rows of what looked to be 14-year-old girls started singing the TV show theme song. Over and over again. The little 6- to 10-year-old girls that filled the rest of the theater were singing along and dancing in their seats. My 16-year-old daughter said with a big smile on her face, 'Isn't this fun?' I said, with as much of a smile as I could muster, 'A little bit.'" Blogcritics noted: "This movie definitely hit the target audience mark with the best opening day for a live action, G-rated movie. The predictable ending strays from the fun tone to address drama from the two main character arcs. Some stereotypes and commercialism weaken the movie, but target and general audiences can find a wide variety of appealing elements here while Hannah fans won't be disappointed."